Postponing Big Bass Bonanza a safety decisionHigh water flows on the Arkansas River, a small craft advisory issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with a warranted concern for the safety of all anglers participating were the main reasons for postponement of the Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza from its original three days (June 26-28) until July 17-19. High river flows are a nuisance on Lake Dardanelle but do not affect local anglers as harshly as they do on other parts of the Arkans...

Wonder Boys to host youth basketball campWonder Boys head basketball coach Chad Kline said he is excited for the upcoming Boys Youth Basketball Camp that begins Monday at Tucker Coliseum. It's a chance for the coach to teach youngsters basketball fundamentals and to see his players and staff have a little fun with the sport they've all devoted so much of their lives to. "We all remember when we went to youth camps like this," Kline said. "It's a time for us to be on the floor and for...

Potts Inn to host 3rd golf tournamentPOTTSVILLE — The Pope County Historical Foundation (PCHF) will host its third annual Moonshine Glow-Golf Benefit Tournament on July 31 at the Galla Creek Golf Club to help raise money for the maintained and preservation of the Potts Inn Museum. The Potts Inn Museum operates on matching grants from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. To receive the grants, the PCHF must raise specified percentages of the grant, which will then be matche...

Killian bids farewell to Arkansas baseballFAYETTEVILLE — Trey Killian says he just completed one lifelong dream soon to start another. Growing up a Norfork native graduating from Mountain Home High, Killian dreamed of pitching for the Arkansas Razorbacks then pitching professionally in the Major Leagues. The University of Arkansas junior has pitched for the Razorbacks three years now, his final start in the College World Series at Omaha, the college baseball mecca that Killian admitte...

Officials urge caution while out boatingLITTLE ROCK — Arkansans are looking for ways to cool down during the long summer days. Many will head to one of the State’s beautiful lakes or rivers. With more than 200,000 boats registered statewide according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, many residents spend a lot of time boating to beat the heat. But boaters need to remember to be cautious on the water. A 14-year-old girl was killed in Arkansas Thursday in a jet ski accident, a...

Cyclones work hard as summer progresses You can forget the lazy days of summer if you’re a Cyclones football player — you get two weeks during the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) enforced “dead period,” but beyond that summer belongs to football. For Russellville, it’s a chance to get stronger. First-year head coach Billy Dawson said the players are still getting used to a few changes, but they’ve grown a lot in the offseason. “Summer is always about getting stronger,” he said...

Single-game Razorback football tickets to go on sale FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Single-game tickets for the University of Arkansas football team will soon be on sale. The university announced Wednesday that Razorback fans can purchase the tickets starting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The prices for the seven home games range from $45 to $65. The university is also offering a $169 combo pack for the three conference home games against Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri. The Razorbacks finished the 2...

RHS history: Shot-putter Paul WhiteThere have been many outstanding individual and team accomplishments by Russellville High School (RHS) student-athletes in in its history. To single out one individual achievement as the best is indeed ambitious and open to debate. There is one athletic achievement, however, meriting serious consideration as the top individual feat by an RHS athlete, and it occurred 41 years ago. On June 22, 1974, Paul White unleased a shot-put throw that was ...

Arkansas out of CWS after Miami walks off with 4-3 victoryOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Arkansas' trip to the College World Series was over quickly, and coach Dave Van Horn had no regrets. The Razorbacks, after all, weren't expected to make it this far, not after entering April as a .500 team and going into the postseason with a pitching staff sorely lacking depth. After Miami's Jacob Heyward delivered the walk-off RBI single that beat Arkansas 4-3 on Monday, the mood around the Hogs afterward was surprisingly ...

Yo-yo fishing worth the extra troubleJONESBORO — The harshly bright spotlight illuminates boiling clouds of buzzing, zigging-zagging insects — a veritable paradise for a curious entomologist. I try to hold my breath and still breathe a little at the same time, as the boat eases up to a green cypress tree, spider webs shining silvery in the bright light. Dip net in hand, I engage in the delicate process of landing a channel catfish caught on a mechanical fisher yo-yo that is spinn...

For a lucky few, fishing just comes naturallyAs summer hits full stride, I am often reminded of many fishing trips as a kid where I would go fishing when no one else in the world wanted to go. No matter how hot, how hard the wind was blowing or even if it were pouring down rain, I always seemed to figure out a way around it to go fishing. A passion for fishing is easy to acquire especially when you have the chance to share it with friends and family, or even better an opportunity to pass...

by
Joey Fisher column mugThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

DNA reveals dead mountain lion’s originLITTLE ROCK — A mountain lion that was killed in November by a deer hunter east of Hermitage in Bradley County is almost certainly the same mountain lion that was sighted in southern Marion County in September. In this case, the probability of these two mountain lions with the same genetic profile is one in 182 trillion. AGFC biologists received the DNA results this week from the Wildlife Genetics Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. The DNA revea...

State MVP Allen to play soccer at WWURussellville High School graduate Taylor Allen earned a Class 6A State Tournament MVP nod after scoring both Russellville’s goals during the Cyclones’ 2-1 state championship victory over the Siloam Springs Panthers on May 23 at Razorback Field. But Allen said he’s “pretty much” over it. He’s ready to move on to the next phase of his life — college, specifically, over 2,000 miles away at Western Washington University (WWU). His goals in Russell...

Game and Fish Notebook (June 13, 2015)DNA reveals dead mountain lion’s origin LITTLE ROCK – A mountain lion that was killed in November by a deer hunter east of Hermitage in Bradley County is almost certainly the same mountain lion that was sighted in southern Marion County in September. In this case, the probability of these two mountain lions with the same genetic profile is one in 182 trillion. AGFC biologists received the DNA results this week from the Wildlife Genetics Labora...

Big Bass Bonanza rescheduled for July 17-19LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza, the state’s largest amateur big bass tournament, has been rescheduled for the weekend of July 17-19, tournament officials announced today, citing excessive water flows on the Arkansas River. The three-day tournament, originally scheduled for June 26-28, has been rescheduled for the July weekend following heavy rains that have made conditions on the Arkansas River potentially hazardous for small wate...

Hogs remain in top 25 for spring sportsFAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas has maintained its top-25 national ranking in the most recent spring standings for the 2014-15 Learfield Sports Directors Cup. The Directors Cup is a competition that tracks the nation’s most successful intercollegiate athletics programs for their athletic performances throughout the year. The spring standings include scoring for fall and winter sports as well as points for men’s and women’s golf, lacr...

Dramatic Arkansas returns to CWSFAYETTEVILLE — When Arkansas was at its lowest this season, the opportunity to play every day was exactly the medicine it needed. The result was a sudden and shocking turnaround that led to the Razorbacks’ fourth appearance in the College World Series in 13 seasons under coach Dave Van Horn. Arkansas (41-23) opens play in Omaha on Saturday against Virginia (39-22), the same team that eliminated the Razorbacks in regional NCAA play last season....

Arkansas' Benintendi named college baseball Player of Year FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — University of Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi has been named college baseball's Player of the Year by Baseball America. Benintendi's selection by Baseball America was announced Thursday and comes after he was named Collegiate Baseball's Player of the Year on May 28. He was previously named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and is a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy...

Surtevall earns spot as academic All-AmericaAUSTIN, Texas — Arkansas Tech senior golfer Rebecka Surtevall added another feather to her cap on Wednesday, as the senior was a second-team selection to the Capital One Academic All-America Division II Women’s At-Large Team. Surtevall recently concluded her athletic career at Arkansas Tech, and along the way was named GAC Player of the Year four times and All-America three times (one honorable mention, two first team). She led the Golden Suns...

by
ATU Athletic CommunicationsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley